Manny's Journal
by TehGlompingKitsune45
Summary: Manny never ceases to amaze Palaeno, even after his death.


Colias Palaeno let out a breath as he wiped his forehead with the back of his hand, he and the staff members had been attempting to clean up all the damage caused by the fires for weeks now. And now that everything he could do was done in the rest of the embassy he no longer had an excuse to avoid Manny Coachen's office.

So here he was, helping a few select staff members sweep up ashes and scrub scorch marks off of the walls, a woman approached Manny's desk and asked him if he would like her to throw everything away.

Ambassador Palaeno shook his head "Do not trouble yourself with that, I will attend to it later" it was in fact much later that he finally got around to his assistant's desk, so much so that nearly all the staff members had gone home for the night.

He didn't feel tired, so there was no use in trying that excuse, with a sigh he finally went and began to gather up all of Manny's things; scorched or otherwise. He opened the drawer and felt in the very back for something he might have missed, his efforts were rewarded with a small circular pendant.

Palaeno stared at it carefully before he let his eyes shift down to one of the drawers on the desk that was only placed there as a design and not actually meant to open. . . it was missing something in it's center. He kneeled down on the floor and placed the pendant on the blank spot, he carefully turned it.

With several clicks a panel opened to reveal a small leather bound notebook hidden away, it was perfectly undamaged. He took it before he stood back up and began to flip through it, it seemed to be a journal, one that Manny hadn't wanted anyone to find. One of the pages caught his eye and he quickly turned back to it, his eyes widened as he stared at the page.

--

"Manny" Palaeno called peeking into his assistant's office.

The man looked up moodily "What is it Colias?" he grumbled, setting down the fountain pen he'd been writing with.

"I have something for you~" he declared in a sing-song voice, waving a piece of paper about in the air.

Manny gave him a skeptic look "Is it important?" he asked irritably.

"Very important" the ambassador of Babahl assured with a smile.

"Fine, bring it here" Manny gestured for Palaeno to come inside, which the man did without hesitance, although when the blond did get close enough that his assistant could see just what it was in his hand said assistant felt as if his aneurysm might burst. "Colias. A coupon is not important!" he barked, nearly crumbling up the very important document he'd been working on in his annoyance.

"But it's a special coupon" Palaeno insisted, trying to push it into Manny's hands only to have the man stand up abruptly and chase him out.

"Out Colias! And I'm serious about not interrupting this time!" he slammed the door shut after his boss had run out with a few panicked yelps. The man let out an exasperated sigh, stomping back to his desk with conviction to throw away the blasted coupon Ambassador Palaeno had been intent on showing him. He picked it up only to discover that it was barely more than a colorful piece of paper with something both written and drawn in Babahlese ink.

"_One free hug from your best friend, Colias Palaeno. Offer only good for one Manny Coachen_" he read, his rage subsided for a moment and with a sigh he went back around in his desk and took out his journal. He flipped to a blank page, taped the ridiculous coupon inside, then took up his fountain pen to write something beside it.

The journal was then swiftly closed and put back in its hiding place.

--

Colias Palaeno could not help the tightening in his chest as he read that day's entry "_The fool Colias gave this to me today, I should throw it away but it would only be more of a headache. . . perhaps I will use it later. . . but only because that man will throw a fit if I do not. . . really_"

The ambassador wiped at his burning eyes before smiling; perhaps Manny had been, deep down inside, the good man that Palaeno had always thought him to be after all.


End file.
